My kids have an attitude and I think it’s a great thing. That bit of fire can do them some good much later on in life. The hard part is that I am not equipped to deal with fire today. Especially not from a 5 year old and a 4 year old.

When I have been asking my kids to do something, I’m met with an awwww man about 80% of the time. It doesn’t matter if they know the routine and I’m asking them to come shower for the fifth time. The awwww man is coming after I’m doing asking. It’s almost just waiting for the second I’m finished.

I have been trying to teach them they shouldn’t respond in that way. Partly it’s because the kids at school say that frequently to their teachers and I don’t want her picking up that habit for simple asks. Partly it’s because certain asks are necessary and should be met with an acknowledgement. I love that my kids express themselves usually, but saying ok and taking a shower is underutilized at the moment.

I know this is a phase and they grow out of certain behaviors (and sayings). I just try to nudge them in the right direction to see if it speeds up the process a bit. I thought to myself though that if I’m thinking this way about awwww man, I’m going to really hate those teenage years with their slang. No cap.